Movie Reviews

Growing Pains

Barry | 07/22/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There was much talk and debate over Gilmore Girls' fourth season. Some thought it was great and that it was one of their best seasons. Others thought that it had a lot of good stuff, but had problems and was, quite easily, it's weakest season. I can't say that it's a bad season, because it's not. The second half contains some truly great episodes, but season four was a disjointed disappointment. The show went through a transition this year, and shows that go through a certain 'growing up' phase do have some problems. They usually don't go through it unscathed. Season four of GG is no exception. Rory leaves home and Stars Hollow and goes off to live in her dorm at Yale. This leaves a new, and awkward, dynamic between mother and daughter and the show. The relationship between the two was a major factor of the series, and the fact that they spoke to one another on cell phones more than anything else it seemed was also a component that didn't add to the season. They added in the character of Jason 'Digger' Stiles, and most people didn't really like him or warm up to him. This was not actor Chris Eigelman's fault, as he was good. The only actor who could match Lauren Graham's rapid speak and quick wit. Lorelei also had new developments in her life. She and Sookie were getting serious about opening their own inn, and in the meantime, take on careers as caterers. It seemed that the writers had a hard time settling into their new set ups and situations, and it left the show disjointed, misguided, and just not the same show. This was mostly during the first half of the season, although there were some highlights. "Chicken Or Beef" was a classic GG episode dealing with Rory running into ex Dean, who invites her to his upcoming wedding. "The Festival Of Living Art" was another notable episode, with the town becoming living pieces of art in the town square. But there were more misfires and duds than great eps. "An Affair To Remember" had Rory spending the entire episode looking for a place to study. This was a problem with Rory. There was this big new change in her world, and the writers didn't seem to exploit it much. Rory was lost for a good portion of the season, and it seemed they couldn't figure anything good to do with her. Thankfully, once the second half kicks in, the show regains it's footing and the writers seemed to have finally gotten a hold of what the show wa doing this season. The second half really kicked into gear, and it's what saved the season. This is why I gave it four stars. Jess returns, and not for the good, in "A Family Matter", and the season had one of it's best episodes with "A Clang In The Clamor", a classic GG episode with a wonderful Luke/Lorelei moment in the old church. "Tick..Tick..Tick..Boom" and "Afterboom" was a tremendous two parter. A true season highlight. Lorelei and Sookie's new inn, The Dragonfly, is coming into shape towards the end of the season, and it appears to be a great new place. "Luke Can See Her Face" is a great episode. It's a pivotal ep in the L/L movement, when Luke finally realizes that Lorelei is the one. The season finale, "Raincoats And Recipes", is the type of stuff season finales are made off. Pitch perfect. An episode that changes everything in the Gilmores' world, and promises great stuff to come. And come it did in the show's magnificent fifth season. Season four was not bad. It had problems and flaws, and is easily it's 'least' season, but it overcame them in the second half. Ther performances were still up to snuff, and Lauren Graham continues to be one of the top best actresses on TV. She has "Emmy" written all over her, and continues to be denied that honor. Yes, moving out and moving away can be awkward and things are just different. Maybe that was the writers' point, but it was obvious that it's hard, different, and awkward to write as well. Season 4 started off with a whimper, but it sure ended with a major bang."

THIS SHOW IS ONE OF THE BEST ON TELIVISION

Rebecca L. Sauers | PA USA | 06/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although reviewers were quick to criticize season four, no one will deny that the last few episodes of the season were some of the best the show has ever brought forth.

Season four brings Lorelei and Rory to a new place in their relationship. Rory moves out of the house and into the dorms, and Lorelei struggles with the realities of bringing her life-long dream of owning an inn to fruition. Through phone conversations and Friday night dinners the girls struggle to keep their relationship as close as it once was. Dean reappears as a married man, Luke is as funny and endearing as ever, and the elder Gilmores struggle to adjust to changes in their marriage. Digger and the lawyer prove amusing distractions to the real love story, which finally reaches its beginning in a satisfying scene outside the Dragonfly. And lets not forget about the final scene, which left everyone in shock - because when Rory messes up - she messes up big.

This collection is a must have for any Gilmore Girls enthusiast. Don't listen to the naysayers. There are a lot of gems to be found throughout season four. "

One of TV's best shows...

Britt Gillette | Chesapeake, VA USA | 07/27/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nominated for 1 Emmy and 1 Golden Globe in its first five seasons, Gilmore Girls has experienced much greater success among TV viewers than among industry critics. In fact, the show is the first script supported by the Family Friendly Forum's script development fund to go on and become a regular television series. Part of an initiative between The WB Network - maker of such hits as Dawson's Creek (1998), Felicity (1998), Angel (1999), and Smallville (2001) - and fellow industry executives, this push for more family-oriented programming resulted in a series showcasing a unique mother-daughter bond and the various people they encounter on their life voyage of discovery. Set in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, Gilmore Girls utilizes many of the same sets as the hit series The Dukes Of Hazzard (1979) - another successful Warner Brothers production from years past...

Gilmore Girls is set in a small idyllic community in Connecticut filled with a wide range of diverse characters and eccentric personalities. Against this backdrop, Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) attempts to raise her daughter and best friend, Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel), to carve out a better life for herself. Having made a number of youthful mistakes, Lorelai made the decision to raise her daughter by herself at a young age (the same age as Rory when the series begins), and she's bound and determined to make sure that Rory makes better decisions for herself. As Rory prepares to go off to college, she displays many of the same likes and dislikes as her mother - especially when it comes to the opposite sex, and that's what worries Lorelai the most... A borderline soap opera, Gilmore Girls is more of a serial drama that focuses on the love, friendship, and shared growth of a mother and daughter as they live out their dreams in modern day America...

The Gilmore Girls (Season 4) DVD features a number of touching episodes including the season premiere "Ballrooms and Biscotti" in which Lorelai and Rory return from their European vacation to experience a whirlwind of activity. Taylor gets upset when Rory declines the offer to be the Stars Hollow Ice Cream Queen, while Rory herself is in a panic after realizing she wrote the wrong date for freshman orientation on her calendar. Now, she must fit a week's worth of preparation into two days, and Emily isn't very happy about it... Other notable episodes from Season 4 include "The Nanny and the Professor" in which Rory becomes concerned when Paris's new boyfriend turns out to be one of her college professors, and "Luke Can See Her Face" in which a self-help tape and a long talk with Jess help Luke to envision a path to the relationship he's been seeking all along...

Below is a list of episodes included on the Gilmore Girls (Season 4) DVD:

Episode 66 (Ballrooms and Biscotti)Episode 67 (The Lorelai's First Day at Yale)Episode 68 (The Hobbit, the Sofa, and Digger Stiles)Episode 69 (Chicken or Beef?)Episode 70 (The Fundamental Things Apply)Episode 71 (An Affair to Remember)Episode 72 (The Festival of Living Art)Episode 73 (Die, Jerk)Episode 74 (Ted Koppel's Big Night Out)Episode 75 (The Nanny and the Professor)Episode 76 (In the Clamor and the Clangor)Episode 77 (A Family Matter)Episode 78 (Nag Hammadi is Where They Found the Gnostic Gospels)Episode 79 (The Incredible Shrinking Lorelais)Episode 80 (Scene in a Mall)Episode 81 (The Reigning Lorelai)Episode 82 (Girls in Bikinis, Boys Doin' the Twist)Episode 83 (Tick, Tick, Tick, Boom!)Episode 84 (Afterboom)Episode 85 (Luke Can See Her Face)Episode 86 (Last Week Fights, This Week Tights)Episode 87 (Raincoats and Recipes)

The DVD Report"

Gilmore Girls-The Complete Fourth (and one of the best!) Sea

A. Himberg | Washington DC, USA | 06/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As always, this season is laced with witty banter, charming humor, and verbal sparring that makes the show what it is. This season brings truth to the world of Stars Hollow, as life gets more complicated for Rory and her mother: being close isn't so easy from different towns, let alone entirely different worlds. Rory begins Yale and along with her great sense of style, she also brings that famous naivete and innonence we know and love. She realizes that a lot more exists beyond her little hometown, and with that revelation comes a sense of loss for Lorelai. The only reason somebody wouldn't enjoy this season is if they were looking for an unrealistic portrayal of life! The Gilmore Girls is real, clever, and always heart-warming in a non-cliche way. I have never found a better show for all ages, and especially for women. Never a dull moment, nothing overdone, and all the drama that we need to keep us waiting for more. This season is just as amazing as all the rest...may there be many more to come!"

GG's Transition Season

J. Toteda | Vancouver, BC, Canada | 07/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I think of the fourth season of GG as a transition season, that is extremely important for any show surpassing the two-three season point. Both Rory and Lorelai are dealing with life-changing circumstances...and for the most part they must figure out a way to do it alone. Furthermore, Mr. And Mrs. Gilmore's marriage has reached a stalemate, and they have to decide whether or not they even like each other anymore. Lane moves out of her chastity belt of a house, and Luke closes the chapter of his married life...only to open new doors on a relationship he has really always wanted!

By far the best part of the season, ( I have to agree with other reviewers) is the Luke and Lorelai dynamic, I to this day think they have the best on-screen chemistry in television.

Much of the season is heartbreaking and like watching a train-wreck where you really can't stop what is the inevitable...growing pains for Rory as she is forced to confront the consequences of decisions made in Season 3....nonetheless the season ends in a huge bang, it will leave you both smiling and questioning.

Perhaps I have made Season 4 sound a little too dramatic, it is important to know that all the same qualities you find in the previous GG season still pertain to this season in many ways, the show is wittier, funnier, and sarcastic as ever. The supporting cast is perhaps the most fabulous and diversified cast in TV.

Here are the extras:

"Who Wants To Get Together - a montage of the season's best hook-ups Goodies & Gossip - Fun Factios appear on screen throughout the Girls in Bikinis, Boys Doin' the Twist episode Stars Hollow Interactive Trivia Game Additional Scenes (...)Also, although the show was broadcasted in both full frame and wide-screen form, these DVD will be shown only in full-frame like the other seasons."